The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-10
Fairohilds Civil Service Views.

Secretary Fairchild's views relative to
civil service reform, which appeared in the
Baltimore Sttn a day or two ago, are excit-
ing considerable comment. The anti-civil
service reform journals pretend that they
are different from those expressed by the
| President Mt the beginning of his admins
tration, though they may be in harmony
! with the civil service reform policy of the
President at the present time
The efforts of the enemies of civil service
reform to defeat it are aggressive and per
sistent There arc q few Democratic jour
mails which improve every opportunity to
| attack the reform, but it is noticeable that
about all of them are hostile TO Mr.. Cleve-
land. The Republican journals do not have
so much to say against the reform as they
do against the President for bis alleged
failure TO carry out the civil service policy
which he announced when he was inaugu-
rated They want to make the people hc-
lieve that he has not been true to his
promises.
As matter Of fact Secretary Fairchilds
views are not inconsistent with the policy
which the President has always pursued
with respect TO the civil service. He says
he is in favor of a practical, not scntimen-
tai reform. By that he means that he is in
favor of doing all that it is possible to do
to improve the civil service. He believes
that important officials who have some in
liuence in shaping the character of the adj
ministration ought to he of tho same politi-
cal faith as the administration, and that in
filing the minor places fitness alone should
be considered.
The President never said that he meant to
retain Republicans in the principal Offices
if they had good records. Neither did he
say that he would turn them out, or appoint
only Democrats to succeed them when their
terms of Office expired. What he did
promise TO do was to enforce the civil ser
vice reform law in letter and spirit, and
that he has done He has done even more
than that: he has retained in office great
many Republicans simply because they are
qualified for their positions. 1t was not ex-
pected that he would make no changes in
offices which do not come within the juris-
diCtion of tho civil service law. The occu-
pants of the most important of the offices
have it in their power to help to make the
much toward making it a failure. 1t is
important, therefore, that they should have
the same political principles as the party in
power
Mr. George William Curtis, who said in
his Newport address that he was disappoint-
ed in the Presidents civil service reform
is a sentimental civil service reformer 1t
would be impossible to put his theories into
practice in the present state of public senti-
ment 1t is question whether the time
will ever come when it will be advisable TO
adopt them in their entirety.
Fitness and not political affiliations should
control the appointments of minor officials.
Fitness has controlled these appointments
under this administration. The people are
satisfied with the Presidents course with
regard TO civil service reform, and if they
are satisfied he can afford to disregard the
criticisms of the sentimental reformers on
the one hand and the howls of the spoilsmen
on the other.